Categories: uncategorized
Date: 04 December 2007 21:25:03
The choir's various coughs, colds and tummy bugs are now nearly over, just in time for Advent. However, there were other plots afoot to disrupt the service: the young girl appointed to light the first advent candle couldn't reach. It was brought down for her to light and then insecurely replaced. Sure enough, as the service progressed there was a thud and the candle remained, for the rest of the service, battered and unlit, resting on the deacon's stall. Fortunately, no Patriarchs, clergy or small children were harmed during this episode. The appropriately-named anthem, 'Wachet Auf' (Bach) - freely translated by some of the choristers as 'Watch out!' - must have warned us that something untoward was going to happen.....
Our Advent Carol service began with a departure from tradition - a modern version of the Matin Responsory (penned by our own choirmaster, and sung as a quintet from the tower steps). After this, we processed to the stalls and sang a selection of old favourites, including Adam lay Ybounden (Ord), Gabriel's Message (Basque carol), Joseph and the Angel (Terry), The truth sent from above (Vaughan-Williams) and The cherry tree (arr. Willcocks). During the singing of 'Hills of the North', the choir processed up to behind the high altar to sing 'People look East' (arr. Bramma) and 'Lo he comes', before returning to the vestry.
An undignified rush followed as the choir tried to compete with the congregation to be the first to nab the mulled wine and mince pies. We needn't have worried; there was plenty for all and some left over as well.